Interview with Dr. Kellie Wilding
Dr. Mike Chua recorded this one on location, ninety seconds out of a whole-body cryotherapy chamber and straight into the chair. Dr. Kellie Wilding, MD walked him through what cryotherapy is, who tends to use it, what a session actually involves, and who should say something before they step in.
The staff is highly knowledgeable, welcoming, and truly dedicated to patient care. I learned so much from the team and appreciated the supportive, hands-on learning environment.
What Dr. Kellie Wilding covered.
The first thing she cleared up is who walks through her door. There are athletes, but she was quick to say that plenty of her clients are not remotely athletic. She separated whole-body cryotherapy, which she described as the more generalized version, from targeted or localized treatment aimed at one area, which she said produces a numbing effect where it is applied. She also described using a cold spray on inflammatory and autoimmune skin conditions.
Her argument about inflammation is the part worth hearing, and it is her clinical opinion rather than ours. She said that for inflammatory conditions like arthritis, heat feels lovely and can do more harm than good, and she put infrared forward as the counterpart modality when warmth is what a body needs. She also described a collagen and fibroblast response to cold and discussed it as an alternative to Botox for appearance, noting along the way what Botox actually is. These are claims she makes about her own service, not claims GeriHab makes or verifies, and none of it is physical therapy.
On the practical side she was reassuringly specific. You wear dry, comfortable clothing. The machine carries temperature sensors, and when the body reaches the therapeutic range the fans shut off rather than pushing further. Afterwards you drink plenty, and there is a rapid shiver response that is expected rather than alarming. A whole-body session is short, around ninety seconds in Dr. Chua's case, which is less time than it takes most people to decide whether they want to try it.
The contraindications section is the reason we are hosting this episode at all. She asked that anyone with balance difficulty say so beforehand, because standing in a chamber is standing. Height matters for the chamber, and she told a story about a professional football player to make the point. People with significant arthritic conditions may need assistance getting in and out. She also listed what else runs at her facility: targeted infrared, an infrared sauna, a massage therapist, a physical therapist trained in lymphatic drainage, and aesthetic services that were launching the month after taping.
How to reach Dr. Wilding in Tennessee.
Dr. Kellie L. Wilding is a physician in Jackson and a partner at the Jackson Clinic. On air she gave her cryotherapy location as 429 Walker Road, Suite B, in Jackson. GeriHab does not offer cryotherapy and has no financial relationship with her business. If balance is the reason you are curious about it, that is a conversation to have with a licensed physical therapist first, and it is one we have every week.
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